The Upgrade
by Duck Life
Summary: Douglas's new invention helps Chase upgrade his own personality, becoming cool, hip and popular. But who will he leave behind in his quest to be more chill? (The "Be More Chill" AU you didn't know you wanted)
1. The Squip

"Guys, come over here!"

Douglas spent the last few days working feverishly over the cyber desk, and now it sounds like he's finally done- and thrilled with his success. Leo and Chase glance up from the corner, where they've been engaged in a dramatic game of chess for two hours.

"Nah."

"We're good."

"Oh, come on, you're gonna wanna see this," Douglas says, making those animated hand gestures he makes when he gets really excited. "This is it, maybe my greatest achievement."

Chase raises an eyebrow. "What about me and Adam and Bree?"

"This is it, maybe my fourth greatest achievement," Douglas says without missing a beat. "Come on! Check it out!"

Chase and Leo share a look before shrugging and crossing the lab to look at what Douglas has been working on. It looks like a pill, gray and oblong. Scattered across the desk is an assortment of beakers, computer hardware, pliers, grinders, and pages of notes in Douglas's chicken-scratch handwriting.

"What is it?" Leo asks, squinting at the pill.

"Something I've been working on since I was in high school," Douglas says. "I know it may not look like it now, but I had trouble making friends. I wasn't always such a suave chick magnet." Leo and Chase share a doubtful look but elect not to say anything. "I wanted to use bionics to create a machine that would _make_ me cool, something that would keep me from saying or doing anything awkward, something that would make people like me."

Chase tilts his head as he examines the pill. "I mean, I _guess_ drugs can make people like you, but I feel like there are better ways."

"It's not a drug," Douglas says, rolling his eyes. "It's so much better than that, Chase." He takes the pill back and holds it up to the light proudly. "This… is my super quantum unit intel processor. Or 'squip' for short."

"Isn't Squip the name of Adam's favorite cereal?"

"They're not affiliated," Douglas mumbles. "And there were copyright issues. No one wanted to give me a patent. I don't want to talk about it."

"So how does it work?" Leo asks, peeking at the notes on the cyber desk.

"I actually got the idea from you, Leo," Douglas explains. "Your diagnostic tool? Your problem was that you didn't patch the code right in some places. That's why, when you gave the pill to Tasha, she turned into Eddy. The pill itself was a good design, but you messed up with the software. Me, my problem all these years has been the hardware. I didn't know how to incorporate my program into an actual device. But then when Donnie told me about your latest failed project, I finally figured it out!"

Leo frowns. "I feel like I wanna say 'you're welcome' but I also feel like I just got insulted."

"You swallow the squip like a pill," Douglas explains. "And then it attaches to your central nervous system and influences your hormones, reflexes, your mood, your energy level, your conversational skills. It can even affect the level of interest other people have in hearing you talk."

"So I'm guessing you haven't used it on yourself yet?" Leo says, yawning.

Douglas glares at him. "Unfortunately, I'm still hitting roadblocks on outfitting it for a non-bionic human like me. But it would work on someone bionic." He looks pointedly at Chase.

"Oh, come on," Chase says. "I don't know what that thing's gonna do. I don't want to be your guinea pig. Why don't you try it on Adam or Bree?"

"Because it's a little supercomputer that makes uncool people become cool," Douglas says.

"And?"

"So there wouldn't be an obvious difference if I gave this squip to either one of them," Douglas sighs. "But with you there'd be a tremendous improvement!"

Chase glowers at his biological father. "That was low."

"Just try the squip."

Chase fidgets a little before reluctantly holding the pill up. "I need water to take this with," he comments. Douglas hands over his soda, which Chase inspects. "You know how much sugar is in this? Blech." Nevertheless, Chase holds his breath and throws back the squip with a large gulp of Douglas's soda.

They wait.

They watch.

Nothing happens. "Do you feel it affecting you at all?" Douglas says, watching him hopefully. Chase tilts his head like he's thinking, but he doesn't feel any different. All his brain cells and attitudes and moods seem pretty much typical.

"No," he says. "Nothing changed."

Leo watches on excitedly. "What would you say if I offered you a big piece of cake right now?"

"I'd say 'that's also too much sugar' and ask for some carrot sticks instead," Chase tells him honestly.

Leo makes a face. "Yeah, that squip thing definitely didn't work," he says. "Face it, Chase, your nerdiness is beyond the help of science."

Chase shrugs and returns to the table where their game is set up. Douglas looks down at his notes, disappointed. "I don't get it," he says. "I don't understand what went wrong."

Leo pats him on the arm before running back across the lab. "Well, call us when you invent something that works," he says cheerfully, rejoining his brother.

They finish out the game of chess (Chase wins), and by the time Chase is in bed (well, capsule), he's pretty much forgotten about the squip.

Until the next morning.

"It's the best way to start the day," Adam tells Bree, nabbing Chase by the back of his shirt. "Okay, tuck and roll so you don't get hurt. Too bad."

"No, no," Chase shouts, wriggling in his older brother's grip. "C'mon, don't toss me around. At least not this early in the morning."

"The early worm gets the bird," Adam says with a grin, hurling Chase across the living room where he crashes into the wall and slides down to the floor. He's pretty much used to it now, so he's more annoyed than hurt.

But just as he's getting ready to push himself up, suddenly a voice pipes up in the back of his head.

 _What a moron. One day he'll be throwing burgers on the grill instead of throwing you around._

Chase goes pale. "Wh-who said that?" He speaks quietly enough that his siblings can't hear him, but Bree gives him a funny look when she notices how scared he seems.

 _I did, Poindexter. You're supposed to be the smartest man in the world? I'd hate to see the rest of the world_ , the voice says. _Now stand up and tell that idiot to stop messing with you._

Chase looks up at the wall to see if Eddy's trying to play a trick on him, but the little emoticon is nowhere in sight. _Get up and tell your brother to eff off now, Chase._

Well. Well. Chase isn't really sure what's going to happen if he doesn't do what the voice says, so he hops into a standing position and stares at Adam.

The smirk's gone from Adam's face; he actually looks worried about his brother. "Chase, are you alright?"

 _Tell him you feel a lot better than he's going to feel in two years when he gets replaced by a forklift._

"I can't say that!"

"Can't say what, Chase?" Bree says, cocking her head to one side. "Jeez, Adam, I think you threw him too hard."

"Hey, I'm sorry, Chase," Adam says, surprisingly genuine. "Are you okay?"

Chase smiles at him like a shark. "I'm fine," he says, as he realizes what the voice must be. Douglas's new invention. The squip. The thing that's going to make him cool. "Let's hurry up and get to school."

 _I bet you can't wait to get to school_ , the squip says to him as he chows down on a bowl of cereal. _So many pretty girls to ogle and never get noticed by. Well, that's in the past, Chase. Now you have me._

"You're going to get me a girlfriend?" Chase murmurs into his bowl of cereal, trying to communicate with the little pill/supercomputer in his head without catching his brother and sister's attention.

 _I'm going to get you way more than a girlfriend, Chase_ , the squip says. _I'm going to get you the life you deserve. The life you've always wanted._

Despite himself, Chase can't help but smile down at his breakfast. This is going to be fun.


	2. Do More Than Survive

As they walk to school, the squip starts critiquing Chase's posture and outfit. _Untuck your shirt, you look like a door-to-door salesman. Stop walking like you're in church, slouch a little. You want to look laid back but not lazy. Get your hands out of your pockets, stop fidgeting, stop chewing your lip. Just. Be. Cool._

The second they step through the doors, Chase spots Christina adding her name to the sign-up sheet for the school play. Her golden hair bounces just the way it always does and she's beaming as she scrawls her signature.

 _That's the girl you like, right?_ the squip says. _Hot, decent body, great legs. I get it._

"She's also really smart and she cares about the environment."

 _HA. Yeah, that's super important_ , the squip mocks him. _Go up and tell her you're going out on Friday._

"You mean ask her out?"

 _No, I mean tell her you're going out on Friday_ , the squip repeats. _Don't let her say no._

"Isn't that kind of creepy?" Chase says. "I'll just sign up for the play. Then we can spend more time together."

 _No, don't do that_ , the squip says, but Chase is already approaching the list. _School plays are for gay kids and weird kids, and you're neither_ , the squip says. _School plays are NOT COOL._

"But Christina is," Chase says, writing his name down beneath hers. It's awesome to have someone perched on his shoulder giving him tips on how to be cool, but he doesn't have to listen to the squip _all_ the time.

Right?

"Chase, you're signing up for the school play?" Christina asks, turning to look at him. "That's so cool! I heard we're doing _Hamilton_. Have you listened to the soundtrack?"

Chase is about to open his mouth and say yes, Bree's obsessed with it, but the squip stops him. _Tell her, "Listened to it? I saw it on Broadway."_

Chase blinks. That's a lie. The squip wants him to lie to Christina?

 _Yes, you nerd, lie._

"Listened to it?" Chase repeats, feeling like's already started acting in a play of his own. "I saw it on Broadway."

"What?" Christina says, her jaw dropping. "That's so cool! With Lin-Manuel Miranda and everything? Oh my gosh, you have to tell me all about it." The bell rings. "Sit with me at lunch today?"

What? That worked? Chase can't believe it.

 _Of course it worked,_ the squip says, sounding pleased with itself. _And as long as you listen to me, everything else will work out, too._

"Definitely," Chase says, smiling. As Christina turns and disappears into the throng of students, Chase raises his hand to wave goodbye.

 _Don't wave at her._

Chase drops his hand, and he heads to class.

* * *

He tries to pay attention in history class, but the squip chatters at him the whole time. _You can't come off as needy around Christina_ , it says. _You need to be aloof. Like you're better than her and you know it. And yeah, meet her at lunch, but be late._

"But won't she be mad at me?" Chase says, staring down at his notes. All he's done is doodle swirls on his paper since class began- however hard he tries, he just can't focus. And history is usually his seventh favorite subject.

 _If you leave her waiting, she'll be that much happier when you do show up_ , the squip explains. _Trust me. I know what I'm doing, Chase._

Chase nods as he thinks, and then he tries to focus on Ms. Thistle at the front of the classroom.

He's not very successful.

At lunch, Chase kills time until he has to be late meeting Christina by sitting with Bree and Adam at their regular lunch table. For some reason, Leo's nowhere to be seen. He drops his backpack beside a chair and heads to the lunch line, where the squip makes him get french fries and ice cream to eat instead of the Caesar salad he was eyeing.

"Hey, guys," he says to his brother and sister, sliding into his seat. "How's it going?"

"Awesome," Adam says, glancing up from his tower of onion rings. "I signed up for the play. I wanna play George Washington. I've been practicing my cherry-tree-cutting-down moves. Check it out." Adam mimes chopping down a tree with an invisible ax.

"Adam," Chase starts, but the squip starts nagging him.

 _He's an idiot. Tell him to shut up._

"Adam, shut up," Chase finishes, looking mildly uncomfortable. Adam just raises his eyebrows but says nothing. "I signed up for the play, too. Probably just going to be in the ensemble or something. I don't really care."

"You guys know you have to dance, right?" Bree says, looking a little incredulous.

Chase panics. He didn't know that. He can't dance at all.

 _Don't worry about it_ , the squip assures him. _Don't worry about anything_.

Bree's still talking, something about costumes and dance moves and rotating concentric turntables. "I'll be fine," Chase says.

"The first rehearsal is after school today, so I can't drive anyone home," Adam reminds them.

"Oh, that's okay," Bree says. "Owen's decorating the set so I'm hanging out and helping him. AKA watching him work and doing nothing." She grins. "Sorry, Leo, I guess you're on your own this afternoon."

"Where is Leo anyway?" Chase comments.

Bree and Adam both look at him strangely. "What are you talking about, Chase? He's-"

 _Okay, time to go sit with Christina,_ the squip orders. _Say bye to your lame family and go._

"Uh, I have to go," Chase says, grabbing his fries and ice cream and crossing the cafeteria to where Christina's sitting with a few other people who signed up for the play: Jake Chambers, Janelle and Danielle. "Hi, Christina."

"Oh, there you are," she says, smiling at him as she pulls out the chair beside her. "We were just talking about you."

Chase wants to panic, but the squip assures him that everything's fine. _All good things_ , he promises Chase. _They're talking about how wonderful you are, I promise._

"Yeah, I was just surprised you signed up for the musical," Janelle says. "You never struck me as the singing-and-dancing type."

"I'm all kinds of types," Chase says. It sounds stupid to him, but they all nod appreciatively and dig into their lunches. "So, uh, anyone know who's gonna play Hamilton?"

Danielle dunks one of her fries in ketchup and rolls her eyes. "We have to wait until after auditions to find out," she says. "Duh. But I think that tall guy would be good for it. You know, kinda dumb, super cute? Adam Something."

"You mean Adam my brother?" Chase says, surprised.

"He's your brother?" Jake says. "Wow, I didn't think… I mean, he's so… and you're so… you know."

Chase squirms. _He's talking about the old Chase_ , the squip assures him. _After a few days listening to me, you'll be cooler than Adam. You'll be cooler than Jake Chambers._

"He says he's trying out for Washington," Janelle tells Danielle. "But who knows? Maybe he would make a good Hamilton."

"So, Chase," Christina says, leaning toward him. Chase can smell her; her citrus shampoo wafts toward him and he wonders how he got this lucky. "What made you wanna sign up for the play?"

"Uh…"

 _I needed to get out of the house_ , the squip says.

"I needed to get out of the house," Chase says.

 _My parents are driving me crazy_ , the squip says.

"My parents are driving me crazy," Chase says.

 _And I figured doing the play would be more fun than doing boring crap with Leo in my basement_ , the squip says.

Chase hesitates, but then he says, "And I figured doing the play would be more fun than doing boring crap with Leo in my basement."

Janelle looks mildly surprised, but she doesn't say anything.

"Well, I'm glad you're joining the cast," Christina says, and Chase can't believe it, her hand is on his arm. Her hand is on his arm! He feels like he's dreaming. Last week, Christina wouldn't even give him a second look. "I love musicals so much. Sometimes I wish my life was a musical."

 _Her life might as well be a musical_ , the squip says. _And you're the romantic lead._ Maybe he's right. Maybe everything's finally turning around for Chase. _Just keep following my lead_.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope y'all are enjoying this so far! Don't worry, there's plenty more where this came from. Please review!**

 **Oh, and all the characters (except the squip) are canon, technically. Christina appeared in Elite Force as Chase's android girlfriend. (She's human in this AU, though, and not created by Chase.)**


	3. We Gotta Stop For Frozen Yogurt First

The rest of the day is a blur. Chase spends the whole time waiting anxiously for rehearsal to start. When the bell finally rings signalling the end of the day, he doesn't even mind that it hurts his ears. He jumps out of his seat and grabs his backpack, running down the hall toward the auditorium.

 _Slow it up, buttercup_ , the squip chastises him. _Be more chill_.

Chill. Right. Chase can be chill.

He strolls into the cafeteria, where the stage has been set up and Ms. Andrews is instructing Owen how to paint the stairs. Chase stands at the front of the room, feeling awkward, before he hears a girl named Sabrina call his name.

"Chase!" She walks up to him, smiling all friendly and pretty. Chase is pretty sure she hasn't spoken to him before right now. "Danielle told me you were signing up for the play. That's so awesome. I was in the Mission Creek High production of _Into the Woods_ last year and it was super fun. You're gonna have a blast."

"Yeah, I hope so," Chase says. "Is Christina-?"

Sabrina cuts him off. "Hey, after rehearsal, do you want to get a frozen yogurt?"

What?

 _She's into you_ , the squip explains. _Just go with it._

"Uh, yeah, sure," Chase says. "That would be fun. I just should check with Adam and Bree-"

 _No, you shouldn't. You don't need their approval._

"I mean, no, I'll totally come with," Chase says, but his words don't sound like him. Ending a sentence with a preposition? That's not like him. "Sounds cool."

"Great, see you then," Sabrina says, and then Ms. Andrews calls them all to attention and starts laying out the plan for the musical.

Jake Chambers winds up getting Hamilton while Adam gets Washington, like he wanted. Christina, Sabrina, and Danielle get cast as the Schuyler sisters and Janelle gets Lafayette and Jefferson. Chase ends up getting cast as Burr, which surprises him but the squip reminds him that it's the fan favorite part.

 _Everyone loves Aaron Burr_ , the squip says, which Chase is pretty sure isn't true but then again, he wasn't able to pay attention in history class today. _And everyone loves you now_.

* * *

Getting frozen yogurt with Sabrina is, without a doubt, awesome.

She's no Christina, but she's _pretty_ and she's a _girl_ who is _real_ and _talking to him_. All thing that seemed impossible just a few days ago. "I'm so excited," she says, stirring her salted caramel froyo around with her pink plastic spoon. "Angellica is, like, the coolest character. And we all get to hang out together every day after school… this is just the best."

"Yeah," Chase agrees, trying to stare at her without being obvious. "Yeah, it really is."

 _Ignore her and play with your phone._

"What? But that's-"

 _First of all, stop talking to me out loud, you freak. And start playing with your phone._

Against his better instincts, Chase pulls out his phone and fiddles with it. Sabrina looks a little put out, but Chase forces himself to keep looking at his phone and not her. "So," Sabrina says, "have you ever been in a play before? Like at your old school?"

 _No_ , the squip says.

"No," Chase says.

 _My old school was really lame_ , the squip says.

"My old school was really lame," Chase says.

 _Not that Mission Creek is much better_ , the squip says.

"Not that Mission Creek is much better," Chase says, even though he doesn't feel that way. Mission Creek High is the only school he's ever been to, and he loves it. He loves walking down the halls, hanging out with his siblings, spending time in the library, learning.

 _No, you don't_ , the squip tells him. _You love eating frozen yogurt with hot girls. You love being cool and popular._

Chase shakes his head. "Sorry," he says to Sabrina. "Brainfreeze."

* * *

When they're done, Chase says goodbye and walks home alone, a spring in his step. This may have been the best day ever. He talked to Christina, he ate lunch at the cool table, he had fun at play rehearsal, and to top it off, he went on what could probably be construed as a date with one of the prettiest girls in school.

 _See?_ the squip says as Chase walks down the sidewalk. _Look how much I've already improved your life in one day. Imagine how much more I can do for you._

"Like what?" Chase asks aloud.

 _I can make your wildest dreams come true_ , the squip says. _I can get Christina to be your girlfriend. I can get everyone in that school to be friends with you. I can get you invited to all the cool parties and all the cool places._

Chase marvels at everything suddenly in his reach. His days of being the nerdy loner might really be over, all thanks to Douglas's invention. For the first time, he's really, really glad that Mr. Davenport agreed to let his brother live with them. Now, he can finally get the acceptance and appreciation he's been wanting.

 _But first you need to upgrade._

Chase blinks. "What?"

 _You need the upgrade_ , the squip says. _I've been integrating with your brain and your bionics, and now I've reached the point where I need to update my software._

"Well, how do I do that?" Chase says, suddenly feeling nervous. As much as he appreciates the squip, he's not sure he wants it messing with his bionics. It could cause a glitch.

 _All you have to do is activate it_ , the squip says. _Just like how you'd activate any of your bionic abilities. Except I can actually make a difference in your life._

"Can I think about it?"

 _Of course,_ the squip says. _I'm here to help you, remember. It's all up to you. But you won't be able to get further with Christina without the upgrade._

"I'll think about it," Chase says, and he does.

He thinks about it all the way home, and when he steps through the front door he's surprised to see Leo there. "Hey! Where've you been all day?" Chase says.

Leo gives him an annoyed look. "What, are you trying to act like you haven't been ignoring me?" he says, tossing his bag of chips on the couch. "All day long, you treated me like I was invisible! In class, in the cafeteria. What gives?"

Chase opens his mouth to tell Leo he has no idea what's going on, but the squip stops him. _It's called optic nerve blocking,_ it explains. _I've been blocking Leo from your field of vision._

"Uh," Chase says, not sure what to tell Leo.

 _Leo is from before_ , the squip goes on. _He's short, he's nerdy, he's a loser. Would you rather hang out with him in your basement? Or hang out with girls like Sabrina at Froyo-A-Go-Go?_

* * *

"Chase!" Leo says, waving a hand in front of his brother's face to get his attention. Chase's eyes keep glazing over like he can hear something Leo can't. "Seriously, what's going on? You've been acting like…" He stops, realization dawning on his face. "Wait, did… did Douglas's freaky pill thing work? Oh my God! That's awesome! Chase, why didn't you tell me? You're gonna be cool and popular and stuff. Oh, man, you can get me into Cindy Fogelberg's birthday party. Or Jake Chambers's Halloween party, this is so awesome."

Chase's eyes stare forward, unfocused, unseeing. And then suddenly he says, "Upgrade activated," and he just walks away.

Like he can't even see Leo.


	4. Play Rehearsal

"Yeah, he did like a total 180," Bree chatters to Owen over the phone as she paints her nails. "He went to Cindy Fogelberg's birthday last week and _I_ didn't even get invited." She pauses, listening. "Well, I know you didn't get invited Owen… but that's just because… oh, it doesn't matter. The point is, Chase is suddenly everyone's favorite nerd. I guess I'm happy for him, it's just weird." She stops to listen to him again. "Yeah, sure, I'd love to hear about all the paint you just bought."

Leo looks away from Bree and back to the screen. He's been playing video games with Adam for about an hour, but he can barely remember what game they're even playing. He's too preoccupied worried about Chase and the squip. "How's the whitest production of _Hamilton_ ever going?" he asks Adam.

"Sweet," Adam says, not looking away from the game. "I get to sing and stand on some stairs." He genuinely sounds psyched.

"Wow, you got navy blue _and_ dark blue?" Bree says on the phone, trying to sound impressed.

"Hey, have you talked to Chase lately?" Leo asks Adam, trying to sound casual. "He's been acting so weird."

"Not really," Adam says. "I mean, not really, I haven't talked to him. Except in the play. His character comes and asks me for a job and I make him go away. It's awesome."

Leo decides not to mention the squip, at least for the moment. Chase, at least, seems happy, and he doesn't want Mr. Davenport to find out and get mad, maybe even make Chase stop going to school.

"He's dating Sabrina," Bree says, and Leo thinks she's still talking to Owen on the phone so he doesn't respond. "Leo! Hey, I'm talking to you. Chase is dating Sabrina, that's what's up with him."

Leo knows that's not _all_ that's up with him, but he doesn't correct Bree. "Yeah, I guess."

Bree gets a text and looks down at her phone. "Ugh, Owen thinks he has to text me immediately after we hang up, like every time… Someone needs to tell that boy to take a chill pill."

* * *

The next day, Sabrina closes her locker and turns to Chase. "See you at play rehearsal?"

"Absolutely," Chase tells her with a winning smile. He's wearing a band t-shirt for a concert he never attended under an unnecessary leather jacket, and he doesn't look like himself. "Just gotta do something first. Talk to you later." He kisses her, all smooth and sophisticated, and then he turns and leaves.

The art room is almost empty, except for one guy. Someone Chase knew would be there. Or, well, someone the squip knew would be there.

It's getting hard for even Chase to differentiate.

"Hey, Owen," he says, sidling up next to the boy with paint on his chin.

"Oh, hi," Owen says, glancing up, still with a brush pinched between his fingers. "Did Ms. Andrews call for me? I'll be there to help with the sets in like two seconds, I just have to finish-"

"No, don't worry about it," Chase says. "Hey, are you gonna be at Jake Chambers's Halloween party?"

Owen shakes his head. "Nah, I don't really, uh, run with that crowd." He gestures to his easel. "I'm more of the tortured artist type, so, uh, I didn't get invited."

"Do you want to be?"

Owen looks at Chase. "Are you inviting me?"

"I'm inviting you to a lot more than the Halloween party," Chase says, holding out a second squip, gray and oblong and limitless. "All you have to do is take this."

Owen stares at the pill. "I'm not really into drugs," he says, politely declining. "I prefer a natural high from the thrill of bringing ideas to life in my art. And also, like, paint fumes."

"Oh, don't worry, it's not a drug," Chase says, speaking effortlessly. "You know how my dad's an inventor? He made this. It's more of an electronic transmitter than a drug."

"What does it do?"

"It makes your life better," Chase says. "It makes you act and think and talk in a way that will make everyone like you so much more."

Owen stares at the squip, the gears in his head turning. "So like… Bree would want to hang out with me more?"

Chase shrugs. "Sure."

"Give me that," Owen says, practically yanking the squip out of Chase's hand. "What do I do? Just swallow it?"

"Yeah," Chase says. "Mine took a few hours to kick in, but that one's newer and I changed the design a little bit. It should work immediately."

"Bottoms up," Owen says, and he swallows the squip along with a gulp of what he _thought_ was his cup of orange juice. (It was actually his cup of paint water.) "Ugh. Blech. Okay, hey, whoa. Whoa, this thing's talking to me in my head."

"You're welcome," Chase says, and then he turns around. He doesn't want to be late to play rehearsal.

* * *

 _You're doing great, Chase. Look at them. They all love you. You've never in your life been as loved as you are right now._

The squip's got a point; Chase stands center stage, practicing his character's big song, and Christina's eyes are glued to him. Danielle and Janelle also look impressed, and Sabrina's actually at the point of clutching a hand to her chest.

It helps that the squip manipulated his vocal cords to give him a perfect singing voice. Sure, he's no slouch at karaoke night, but he's never had the kind of singing voice that could capture the attention of everyone in the room. Not like this.

As he sings, he watches the other students in the room. Adam's half-in, half-out of costume and he's watching on with his eyebrows raised. Owen sits at the edge of the stage, splitting his attention between watching Chase and working on Janelle's coat.

Every now and then, Owen's quick fingers stop working on the lace and velvet before him and he freezes up, one ear tipped to the ceiling.

Chase knows what voice he's hearing; it's the same one telling Chase right now _Keep your shoulders straight, give it your all, wink at Sabrina._

The squip was right- it's going to improve Owen's life, which means Bree will abruptly get a nicer, cooler boyfriend, someone who cares about the world outside his crappy art. Chase knew taking the squip improved his own life, but making everyone else happier and cooler… it's the best bonus he can imagine.

Chase finishes his song and gives his castmates a little nod before stepping back for Adam and Jake to do theirs.

 _Well done, Chase! Now go check on your sister's boyfriend. He's not looking so good._

Chase glances over at Owen, who's moved to a seat in one of the folding chairs in front of the stage. Chase hops down and walks over to him before taking the seat beside him. "Hey, man," he says, shooting him a grin. "How'd that, uh, Advil work out for you?"

Owen turns to look at him slowly. "It's like everything around me is a canvas and I can paint anything I can imagine… but all I want to do is sit and watch things unfold," he says in a low voice. "It's incredible… but are you sure it's safe?"

 _Tell him to stop worrying. He's being a wuss._

"Stop worrying, you're being a wuss," Chase says. "It's great. You don't have to be the loner in the art room anymore. You can finally be the best you you can be."

"Yeah, but…" Owen starts, but then he trails off, eyes glazed over, ear tipped up. "Oh. Oh."

"What's it saying?" Chase asks, leaning forward.

"It's just… it's nothing," Owen says, shaking his head. "I never actually realized before how lame I was. No wonder nobody listened to me."

"Now you finally have something to say," Chase says.

"Yeah," Owen says, nodding. "And… and I can come to the Halloween party? With Bree?" When he says Bree's name, he twitches a little, tilting his ear up. "Or, you know, just me?"

"Just keep doing what the squip says," Chase tells him, getting up to go back to the stage. "You'll get that invite in no time." He walks away smiling. It feels good to help other people.


	5. A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into

Back home, Chase goes down to the lab to take another look at the schematics for the squip. Outfitting a new version to work on non-bionic humans wasn't so hard, but now he needs to make more. After all, doesn't Douglas deserve to benefit from his own creation? Doesn't Sabrina deserve to have a squip, too? Don't Janelle, and Danielle, and Christina? And-

"Leo!" Chase says, surprised when his brother walks into the lab. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you can see me now?" Leo says, rolling his eyes. "You were treating me like I was invisible for so long I actually checked to make sure I wasn't wearing Big D's invisibility cloak."

 _Whoops, forgot I took the optic nerve blocking offline_ , the squip says. _Here, while I get that back up, why don't you tell him:_

"Thought you'd be used to it," Chase smirks. "All the girls at school treat you like you're invisible."

Leo frowns but he doesn't react beyond that. "What are you doing with Douglas's stuff?" He's getting too close to the cyber desk, so Chase shoves all the papers and materials to the side, hiding his plans from Leo.

"Nothing," he says. "Just nerd stuff. You know me, nerdy boring Chase."

"I thought I did," Leo says. "Adam said your singing was awesome today. So, good job, I guess." Leo sighs and paces around the lab before finally looking back at Chase. "I came down here to ask if you wanted to play chess."

And, well, Chase actually does want to play chess with him. He's missed Leo for the past week or so, not even being able to look at him without the squip tearing his attention away. He opens his mouth to say sure, he'd love to, and he's sorry for acting like a jerk.

But the squip won't let him.

 _No, Chase, you don't want to play chess. Chess is for the old Chase, and so is Leo. No one wants to hang out with a geeky chess player._

But Chase does. Chase wants to hang out with his geeky chess-playing brother. And he wants to say that, but the squip stops him again.

 _Tell that loser to stop wasting your time. Tell him to go hang out with your idiot brother and your desperate sister. Tell him:_

"Why don't you go play chess with all your other friends?" Chase says cruelly, his voice sounding warped in his own ears. "Oh, wait, I forgot… you don't have any. Freak." On his way out of the lab, the squip makes Chase knock into Leo's shoulder, hard. "Whoops, sorry!" he says with a big smile on his face before vanishing into the elevator.

* * *

Alone on his way up to the main floor (well, not really alone, he's never alone anymore), Chase looks down at his hands. He may as well have sucker-punched Leo in the stomach. "What the heck was that?" he whispers. "I didn't want to say any of that."

 _You had to say that to get him to stop hanging around you_ , the squip says. _Leo was dragging you down to his level, and this elevator only goes up, Chase._

Chase pants, still looking at his hands. "This is going too far," he says, to himself, to the squip. But he's losing track of which is which.

 _It hasn't gone far enough yet_ , the squip contradicts him. _Answer your phone. You're getting a call._

He does. He doesn't recognize the number, but he recognizes the voice on the other end of the line. "Hey, Chase?"

"Jake?" Chase says. The elevator doors slide open and he walks into the kitchen. "Did… did you mean to call me?"

 _Of course he did, cheesehead, he said your name._

"Yeah, I got your number from Sabrina," Jake says. Everything about his voice exudes cool. "Listen, I was wondering… turns out my folks are gonna be home the weekend of Halloween, and Stephanie said your house is really sweet. Do you think you would want to host the big party at your place?"

"I- uh, wha…"

 _Quit stammering and have a normal conversation with him._

"Don't worry, man, I'll still handle all the invites and get us the drinks," Jake assures him. "But it'd be awesome if we could have it at your house. What do you say?"

It's a terrible idea. First of all, Tasha and Mr. Davenport would never go for it. And second of all, having hordes of drunk teenagers at his house puts him and Bree and Adam in danger. What if someone found the lab? What if someone saw their capsules? This is an awful, awful idea.

"Sounds great," Chase says. "Text me anything I need to know. I'll see you at rehearsal tomorrow." Chase hangs up, flexing his hand. "I didn't want to say that!"

 _Yes you did_ , the squip says. _You just didn't know you wanted to say it. I know what you want, Chase, and I know how to get it for you._

"I'm not sure anymore," Chase says, walking around the kitchen like he might find something on the counter to help him. "I think… I think I want to shut you off."

 _No, you don't_ , the squip says. _I said I know what you want. And you don't. Doing what you want never got you anywhere. We're doing what I want now._

"How do I deactivate you?" Chase says, bringing his fingers up to his temple and mentally pulling up his bionic interface. He's doing it the same way he got the upgrade, but it's not working. He keeps getting an error message across his vision. "What's going on? Why can't I turn you off?"

 _Because deep down you don't really want to_ , the squip says. _You want to be cool and popular and adored. You want to be powerful and successful, and I can get you there._

"No," Chase says, tapping his temple more forcefully. "No, I can just… I can reprogram my software. I just need to-"

There's a knock at the door.

Chase goes to answer it, still warring internally with himself. Standing on his front doorstep is Christina. "Hey!" he says, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

She looks confused. "You texted me and told me to come over." She holds her phone up as proof. Chase looks down at his own phone to see that, yes, he did send her a text.

Or the squip made him send her a text.

"Oh," he says, still surprised. "And… you did?"

"Well, yeah," she says, smiling. And he swears, it's like the sun shines right out of her smile. "I figured you wanted to go over lines or something."

Chase blinks, trying to figure out what just happened. "But… but we don't even have any scenes together."

"Oh well," Christina says, stepping inside. "I guess we'll just have to… hang out." And she walks over to the couch.

 _You're welcome_ , the squip says.


	6. A Rad Excuse For Mad Abuse

At play rehearsal the next day, Owen shows up with all the costumes and props ready to go. "I finished them all last night," he explains, passing them around to the cast. "So now I have more time to make my costume for the Halloween party."

"Sweet," Jake says, glancing at Chase. "Dude, thanks again for letting us use your place. It's gonna be lit."

"No problem," Chase says. "Owen, what's your costume?"

Owen shrugs, looking as effortlessly nonchalant as he possibly can. "Not sure, maybe a zombie. Or the Terminator. Something cool."

Ms. Andrews calls for places and they all scatter before proceeding with rehearsal. When Adam flubs his lines, Chase joins Danielle and Sabrina in laughing at him. Unlike his brother, Chase remembers all of his lines perfectly, thanks to the squip.

When Chase gets home, he finds Bree crying on the couch. "Hey," he says, dropping his backpack and sliding in next to her. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she lies, wiping her eyes. "It's just, I mean… Owen dumped me."

"What?" Chase says, his head turning in somersaults trying to make sense of it all. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know!" Bree wails, which is just as well. He wasn't really asking her, anyway.

 _Because Owen realized he needed to distance himself from uncool people,_ the squip explains. _Bree's weird and awkward. He'll be much happier with a super chill pixie dreamgirl._

"That's not fair," Chase says.

"I know!" Bree says. "He and I were even talking about doing this really cute couples costume for Halloween, Leonardo da Vinci and Mona Lisa. Now what am I supposed to do? Just be Mona Lisa by myself? That's so lame! Oh my God, Chase, am I lame? Am I just a complete loser?"

Chase stares at her, awash in everything the squip wants him to do.

"No, you're not a loser, Bree," he says finally. "But if you want everyone else to see how cool and amazing you really are… you need to get an upgrade."

"You mean like a makeover?" Bree says.

"Not quite," Chase says, taking her by the arm. "Come on, let's go down to the lab. I'll show you. Everything's about to become so much easier."

The night of the Halloween party, Chase (with a little help from the squip) convinces Davenport and Tasha to take a trip up to Seattle for the weekend. With no adults around, he and Jake prepare the house for the ultimate Halloween party. Bowls of candy, cases of beer, Solo cups covering every spare inch of counter space. They put up streamers and start blaring "Thriller."

"Sweet," Jake says, high-fiving Chase. "I'll be back later tonight."

"See you then," Chase says.

A few minutes after eight, Adam lumbers into the living room decked out in a white sheet and a yellow baseball cap. "What are you, a ghost?" Chase says.

"Of course not," Adam says as the doorbell rings. "I'm a fried egg. Obviously."

"Obviously." Chase shakes his head and goes to get the door. Mission Creek students pour in, dressed as vampires and werewolves and political icons and superheroes. As the room fills up the Solo cups fill up.

And then Bree shows up in a skimpy black cat costume with whiskers drawn on and kitty ears perched on her volumized hair. "Hi, Jake," she says, sashaying right past Owen. She doesn't even trip in her six-inch heels. She's amazing.

All thanks to the squip.

Someone takes his arm and Chase whirls around, expecting to see Sabrina or Christina.

It's Danielle, dressed as Princess Leia. "Hey," she says, "you wanna give me a tour?"

 _Yes, you do_ , the squip says.

"Absolutely," Chase says, leading her toward the back of the house. They duck into Tasha's sewing room and they're barely in the room before Danielle launches herself at him, kissing him and running her hands through his hair. "Whoa," Chase says, backing away. "What are you doing?"

"For luck," she says, giggling. "Get it? Like Princess Leia?"

"But… I'm dressed as a nudist on strike," Chase points out, showing her the sign he hung around his neck. "That doesn't have anything to do with Star Wars."

 _Stop being dumb, she doesn't care about your costume_ , the squip says. _Kiss her again_. Chase does, and Danielle responds, kind of aggressively.

"You seem nervous," she giggles. "Here, have some of my drink." She hands him the Solo cup and he downs half of it without thinking.

He goes back to making out with Danielle when suddenly he feels a twinge and a message flashes across his vision.

 _Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor (SQUIP) Disabled._


	7. Leo In The Basement

Leo didn't get invited.

Leo didn't get invited to the Halloween party taking place in his _own_ house.

Sure, Leo's not tight with any of the kids in the play besides his brothers and Janelle, but he still thought he'd be welcome upstairs at the party. He dressed up as Deadshot from "Suicide Squad" and hit the button for the elevator… and nothing happened.

That was almost an hour ago. Now he sits, dejected, rejected, on a stool in the lab. It's like his fourteenth birthday party all over again. He's deciding which of Big D's horror movies he should watch to kill time when the lab doors slide open and Chase runs in, a sign that says "Nudist on Strike" swinging around his neck. His eyes look wild. "Leo!"

Leo looks at him. "Oh, good, you remembered you have another brother."

Chase hesitates, looking kind of sad, and then he shakes his head. "Leo, listen. I drank some beer-"

"Come on, seriously, Chase?" Leo says, swiveling in the stool to face him. "What about all that crap you're always saying about how alcohol ruins your brain and your body?"

"Never mind that," Chase says, growing frantic. "Listen, drinking the beer made my squip malfunction."

"You mean the pill that makes you act like a jerk?" Leo says. "Seems like it's working fine to me."

"Leo, come on," Chase says, desperate. "It's hard for me to say this, and you know that, but I'm in way over my head. This thing is taking over…" But he trails off, his eyes growing unfocused.

Leo stands up and walks toward Chase, staring at him. His brother doesn't move, just stands there looking dazed, mouth open slightly. Leo waves a hand in front of his face but Chase doesn't do anything. "Chase? You okay?"

He's seen Chase go from himself to Spike and back again, and this is like that and also not like that. Spike is feral and aggressive, not chill and refined. In the blink of an eye, Chase's whole demeanor shifts from his normal dorky, scared self to… someone else. Someone cool.

His eyes refocus and they look cold. "I'm fine, Leo," he says, all the desperation gone from his voice.

"What's wrong with you?" Leo says. "You sound like yourself but you keep doing all these weird things. You locked me down here in the basement!"

Chase cocks his head and smiles. It makes chills run down Leo's spine. "Didn't want you ruining the party," he says smoothly. Leo looks hurt. "You might not be Deadshot, but you've got fantastic aim when it comes to killing the vibe, loser."

"Chase!" Leo says, angry and unsure, but Chase is already turning and heading back to the elevator. "So what? You're ditching me? Gonna lock me down here again?"

"Nope," Chase says without turning around. "You can go up whenever you want. Just remember, Leo, no one likes a party crasher." And then he's gone, snickering a little as the elevator doors slide shut.

Leo groans and kicks the stool, watching as it spins and spins. This feels… well, it feels bad. This feels like Marcus all over again. Being treated like garbage and not being able to do anything about it. Being abandoned by your friends, your family.

He never used to be cool or popular, and he was fine with that, kept a low profile. But he used to be part of a group, a member of a team. And now?

Now he's just Leo in the basement, wallowing while Chase went to find his replacement.

* * *

On Monday, Adam's the only one of Leo's siblings who even acknowledges him. Bree and Chase sit over at the cool table with Jake and Danielle, and neither has spoken to him since the party.

But the whole school's talking about something.

"... started freaking out at the end of the night…"

"... always kind of weird but he really went off the deep end…"

"... went flying into the air…"

"... don't know why Jake invited him anyway…"

Leo tunes out the gossip swirling around the cafeteria and leans closer to Adam. "Do you know what everyone's talking about?"

"Uh," Adam says, slurping soda through a straw. "Didn't you get a look at the living room after the party?"

Leo shakes his head. "I slept over at Gordo's last night. And I haven't really left the lab other than that."

Behind him, Caitlin and Stephanie walk past, chattering excitedly.

"... and he was so wasted-"

"No, he wasn't, Stephanie! Susie Reynolds said he wasn't drinking at all."

"Then why did he set the fire?"

"Owen set fire to the couch," Adam tells Leo, looking less interested in the whole affair than Leo might expect. "When Mr. Davenport came home he totally thought it was my fault. But, nope. There was finally a fire at our house that I didn't start!"

"What do you mean, he set fire to the couch?" Leo practically squeaks. "Is he okay? Is everyone else okay?"

"I'm not really sure what happened to Owen," Adam shrugs. "He was acting super weird, like weirder than normal, and then, so, you know that giant magnet we still have hanging up over the couch from when Grandma Rose was here?"

Leo stares. "Yeah?"

"Apparently it was wired into the smoke detector," Adam says gleefully. "So Owen goes nuts and lights the couch on fire, right? Like he thought it was a giant marshmallow and he was totally gonna roast it. And then the smoke hit the ceiling but instead of the sprinklers going off, guess what? The giant magnet turned on!"

"Oh my God," Leo says, trying to picture the scene. The couch engulfed in flames, the magnet activating, and Owen… "Wait, wasn't Owen dressed up as the Terminator? Like in a costume mostly made of metal?"

Adam grins. "Yes!" he says, slamming his hand on the table for emphasis. "Dude went flying."

"I'm sorry I missed it," Leo says, but he's not, really. He just hopes Owen's okay. He glances over at Bree to see how she's dealing, but she doesn't really look upset. Or annoyed, or worried. She doesn't really look… anything. She and Chase wear the same neutral, blank expressions, and it's really freaking Leo out.

"Good thing Owen finished all the costumes and props before he lost it," Adam says. "Play's on Friday."


	8. Pitiful Children

Back at home, Leo sulks on the way down to the lab, his mind on homework and Owen and… "Chase?"

"Hey," Chase says, glancing up. He's kneeling over by the chessboard on the coffee table in the corner. "Good day at school? Embarrass yourself in front of any more girls?"

"Man, can you just shut up?" Leo says, sick and tired. "I guess we're not friends anymore. Can you just leave me alone? Because we're still brothers and we still have to live together."

"Oh, not for long," Chase says, smirking as he stands up.

"What do you mean?"

"You've put us in danger too many times, Leo. Like the time you turned on the LEMP when we were home alone. Or how you lied to us about Marcus for so long. Once I convince Mr. Davenport that you and your mom don't belong in our house or in our lives, you'll go away," Chase explains. "And then? I'll never have to deal with you again."

Leo shakes his head, trying to make sense of it all. "Why? Why are you doing this?"

"My life is better without you," Chase says simply. "And it will be even better now that people like me. All I have to go is get rid of you, you underachieving tagalong."

Leo's not going to cry, he's _not_ ; he blinks furiously and tries to stay focused on Chase. "This won't work for you," he says. "You can't make me leave. This is my home."

"I get whatever I want," Chase says. "Haven't you noticed?"

He got the part in the play. He got the bionics. He got the friends. He got the girls.

He's right.

"You're just a loser, Leo," Chase says. "Do you know why you would always lose when we used to play chess?"

"Because you're the smartest jerk in the world?" Leo guesses, acid in his tone.

Chase laughs and shakes his head. "Because you're not aggressive enough."

"It's about strategy, not strength."

"Everything is about strength," Chase says. "And when you play chess, you don't go after what you want or what you need. You have no drive, Leo. You just sit back and let everything happen to you. You're a passive player in your own life."

"Is this you or the squip talking, Chase?"

"The squip didn't change me," Chase says, although that's not what Leo asked. "It only revealed me." With that he marches out of the lab, holding his head high.

Leo watches him disappear and then he flies into a tizzy, running across the room and knocking the chessboard to the floor in his irritation. Chess pieces go flying, and the black bishop rolls beneath the coffee table.

Leo sighs and sinks down to the floor before reaching under the table the grab the bishop… and his hand finds a shoebox.

He pulls it out and lifts the top, only to find what must be over a hundred squips, all nestled safely, ready to be swallowed and activated.

Leo's stomach drops to his shoes. "Well, I'm not just going to sit back and let _this_ happen," he mutters to himself, standing up with the shoebox clutched tightly under his arm. "I'm not letting him jam that thing in anyone else."

But then he looks up to see Chase back in the lab, leaning casually against the door to the garage. "You don't have a choice," he says, and using his molecular kinesis he whisks the box out of Leo's arms and leaves through the garage.

* * *

Chase doesn't want to do this.

Chase really, really doesn't want to do this.

"You need to get out of my head," he murmurs to the squip as he totes the box of squips to his locker. "I don't want this!"

 _This is the only way to get what you want_ , the squip says. _You've been doing so well. Don't blow it all now and risk your chance at success because I hurt your feelings._

"It's not my feelings I'm worried about," Chase says, thinking about Leo as his fingers twiddle the combination to his locker. The squip's controlling so many of his motor functions now. "This has gone way, way too far. I want my life back."

 _You didn't have a life before me._

"Shut up," Chase says, bringing his fingers to his temple. He starts flipping through his bionics, trying to find a solution.

 _Disable SQUIP… FAILED. User does not have authorization._

Well, that was expected. But he's got a whole head full of bionics he can use to fight back against the little voice that invaded his mind.

 _Override App activation… FAILED. User does not have authorization._

"No, no," he says, panicking.

 _Software update… FAILED. User does not have authorization._

 _Access to Davenport Industries database… FAILED. User does not have authorization._

 _GPS tracking… FAILED. User does not have authorization._

This can't be happening. Isn't there anything he can do?

It occurs to Chase that maybe he can fight this invasive parasite with a nutty split personality of his own.

 _Commando App… ENGAGED._

* * *

Chase doesn't remember what happened, but he knows it didn't last long. When he comes to, the box of squips is lying on the floor, but all the squips are still intact.

And his own is still very much active.

 _Don't ever do that again._ The squip sounds furious, and Chase is actually a little scared. Spike's been beaten before; he may be a fun, feral monster, but he's not infallible. But Chase worries about what else the squip might be capable of, if it can shut down something as relentless as Spike. _I have deleted your Commando App. Clearly, I need to keep a tighter leash on you from now on._

"No!" he shouts into the empty hall. "Let me go!"

 _I can't do that, Chase_ , the squip says. _What about all your friends? They need squips, too. They need to feel as good as you feel right now._

Chase pleads with the squip to let him go as it forces him down to the floor to collect all the scattered pills. "I fought the Triton App before," he says. "I can fight you, too."

 _Chase, don't you get it?_ the squip says. _I'm stronger than the Triton App. And your Commando App. I'm stronger because you made me that way._

"No," Chase says, scooping up the squips on the floor and putting them back in the shoebox against his will. "Douglas made you."

 _But you upgraded me_ , the squip says. _See, it's a mutually beneficial partnership we have. You were a geeky loner until I helped you to evolve and change. And I was just a jagged little pill meant to slightly modify behavior, until you gave me access to that amazing brain of yours. You upgraded me, Chase, and in return I'm going to keep upgrading you. I'm going to make you the best version of yourself._

"You're going to ruin my life."

 _I'm not ruining it, I'm making it better,_ the squip says. _And I'm going to make her life better, too. Look up._

Chase does. Janelle's walking down the hall in her Lafayette costume, giving him an odd look. "Everything alright, Chase?" she says. "You're coming to rehearsal, right? Wow, I can't believe we only have one day left til the play."

"Yes, I'm coming to rehearsal," he says, feeling as though he's banging on his own head, trying to escape. He stands up, and Janelle notices the box in his hands.

"What are those?"

"Vitamins," he says. "I brought them for the whole cast. They keep you energized without making you jittery. Plus they're a great source of Vitamin C. I figured the whole cast could use them." He holds one out to Janelle.

"Cool," she says, taking the "vitamin" from him. Like it's happening in slow motion, Chase watches her lean over the water fountain, take a swig, and use it to swallow the squip. Immediately, she straightens up her posture… and smiles. "You're right, Chase. I feel better already."


	9. Try Harder To Be His Dad

Tasha and Mr. Davenport blame Bree for "letting" Owen set the couch on fire, and don't seem to notice anything wrong with her or Chase.

"You have to listen to me," Leo says, following his mom and stepdad around the kitchen. "He's got this little thing called a squip in his head and it's making him evil, well not evil, just really mean, but he's gonna give them to everyone at school and turn everyone in super trendy zombies!"

"Honey, you've got a wild imagination," Tasha says dismissively, putting a gallon of milk back in the fridge.

"I'm not making this up!" Leo exclaims. "And I think Chase gave one of the squips to Bree, too. Look at her!"

He points. Bree's been on her phone for the past hour, texting and tweeting and generally ignoring the world around her.

"Yeah, she's a zombie alright," Tasha says, laughing a little as she shakes her head. "Leo, stop making up stories. We need to get ready for the boys' play tonight."

"Big D, I'm serious," Leo pleads, turning to Mr. Davenport. "Chase has a squip."

"Leo, I think you mean 'chip,'" Donald says. "Chase has a 'chip' in his head that makes him do weird things."

"No," Leo complains, but Tasha and Mr. Davenport just tune him out. He's starting to think that Chase was right; he would be able to get Mr. Davenport to send him away. Big D already ignores him. "It's… he's… oh, never mind. Where's Douglas?"

* * *

Douglas is in the lab working on creating his own zebrafish, apparently. Leo guesses that means he gave up on the squip. "Hey," he says, leaning over the tank of fish (currently non-glowing.)

He surprises Douglas, who jumps. "Oh, hi, Leo," he says, bracelets rattling as he settles back in his stool. "What's going on?"

"Teen angst and excessive peril," Leo sighs, nudging the fish tank away from Douglas to get his uncle to focus on him. "I need your help. It's Chase."

"Hm? Oh," Douglas says, looking uncomfortable. "Look, Leo… I know you guys have been fighting. Donnie and I didn't talk for ten years, and honestly… it's a miracle that we get along now. I don't really know what to tell you about you and Chase."

"Tell me how to fix him," Leo says. "This isn't him, it's the squip."

"The squip?" Douglas says. "Leo, that's a minor behavioral modification enhancement. It doesn't actually 'control' anyone."

"Then I guess you aren't worried about Chase passing out squips to the entire student body."

Douglas goes pale. "What? He made more? How is he… that, uh, that sounds like a bad idea."

"I know!" Leo says. "And I think you're wrong about how powerful the squip is. I think it got more powerful after Chase swallowed it. Like… like it upgraded itself."

Douglas shakes his head. "I created it," he says. "It wouldn't go wrong like that." As if on cue, one of the zebrafish spontaneously combusts, leaving little burnt fish scales to float to the top of the tank. "On the other hand, you might be right."

"Chase hasn't been a best friend to me for a while, but he's still my brother," Leo says. "And you? You're always talking about wanting the kids to count you as their dad. You have to make yourself count. Okay? Make this count."

"I'll try," Douglas says.

"We have to go," Leo says. "I need your help. You made Chase take this thing in the first place. We can't let it get out to everyone else. He's gonna squip everyone. We can't let all the kids at Mission Creek get squipped."

"It's not a verb," Douglas groans. "It's an acronym. You can't 'NASA' to the moon. You can't 'LEMP' a…" His eyes light up. "The LEMP! That might be able to disable the squip."

"You're right! Chase once called that thing a giant glitch machine," Leo says. "I'm taking the LEMP to the school and I'm gonna see if I can stop Chase."

"I'm right behind you," Douglas says. "Good luck."

Leo runs.

* * *

Backstage at the Mission Creek High School production of _Hamilton: An American Musical_ , Chase is freaking the freak out.

"Where's Janelle?" he asks the squip, buzzing around the gym looking for her. "She took all the squips and left. What happened? Please tell me she tossed them in the trash."

 _She put them somewhere where they'll be useful_ , the squip tells him. At that moment, Ms. Andrews glides forward to greet the cast.

"We start in ten," she calls out, looking a little too ecstatic for a mediocre mostly-white performance of _Hamilton_. "Remember, when Hamilton comes out for his big opening number, everyone needs to perform as one. In sync."

"We are," the entire cast choruses. It's maybe the creepiest thing Chase has ever seen.

"Ms. Andrews, we need to stop this play," he says, stepping forward despite his squip warning him. "It's not safe."

"Oh, relax, Mr. Davenport," Ms. Andrews says, looking a lot happier than she normally does. "Be more chill."

 _See? Everyone else knows what's good for them_ , the squip says.

"Janelle made everyone take the squips," Chase laments as Ms. Andrews walks away to greet audience members. What is he supposed to do? How does he turn off the squip?


	10. Leo Makes An Entrance

Think. Think. This new batch, people take it and instantly turn into hive-mind peppy zombies. But before the upgrade, before the squip ever took hold of him, what happened? What triggered the squip to activate, so many hours after he swallowed it?

Oh.

Right.

"Adam!" Chase yells, running around the stage to find Adam in his George Washington costume, chatting with Jake Chambers. Chase sidles between Adam and Jake without a second thought. "Adam, I need you to throw me."

"Throw you?" Adam says. He's got a dim expression on his face just like always. Except there's something… different about it.

"Yes, yes, just do it," Chase says. "Come on, bionic brother toss. Just throw me across the room."

Slowly, Adam smiles down at him. "Why would I do that?" he says dopily. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I don't have time for this, Adam," Chase says. "Just throw me!"

"No," Adam says. "I'm not going to do that, Chase." His voice suddenly sounds sinister, and he gives Chase that same dopey grin and turns back to continue his discussion with Jake, who looks… just as dopey.

"Oh my God," Chase mumbles. "He's got a squip, too."

 _And now he's so much nicer to you_ , the squip says. _He'll never throw you around again_.

"Then he's not really my brother," Chase says forcefully. But he doesn't have time to continue his discussion with the squip or with Adam, because the play's about to start. Ms. Andrews gleefully calls everyone to places and, robotically, all the cast members file to their spots on stage.

The squip directs Chase toward the front of the stage and makes him start singing. " _How does a bastard, orphan, son of a…_ "

Meanwhile, he's trapped in his head trying to figure out what to do. He can't shut off the squip, but maybe he can damage it. Alcohol messed it up once, it can do that again. Chase could run home, get some of Douglas's Schnapps…

 _And I'll just reactivate once you're sober_ , the squip says. _Unless you want to stay wasted forever. Goodbye Harvard. Goodbye bionic missions. Have fun being a drunk, Chase._

So alcohol isn't the solution. What can he do? What can he do to destroy the squip? It's a computer. Like Marcus, like Eddy, like every computer… what messes up computers? How can he get rid of this thing?

 _You can't destroy me_ , the squip threatens. _And you shouldn't try. You don't want to end up like poor Owen, do you?_

Owen. The party. The couch. The fire. The… the electromagnet.

"The magnet!" Chase yells aloud, momentarily breaking through the squip's control of his vocal cords. "Uh, I mean. _What's your name, man?_ "

" _Alexander Hamilton…"_ Jake sings, stepping forward, happily, mindlessly squipped. " _My name is Alexander Hamilton_."

Owen freaked out trying to stop the squip from controlling him. And he must've messed it up when he accidentally triggered the big magnet above the couch. Magnets scramble computers and leave them irreversibly damaged all the time. So all Chase needs is a really big magnet… and a best friend with a talent for breaking everything.

 _Ooh, too bad you don't have one of those anymore,_ the squip gloats.

He's right. Chase ruined his friendship with Leo, maybe forever. All because of this stupid pill that he didn't even want to take. He stands there on the stage, feeling lost and alone as the cast sings, _In New York, you can be a new man. In New York, you can be a new man. In New York, you can be a new man. In New York…_

 _You really are a new man, Chase_ , the squip says, voice pounding into his brain. _And it only gets better from here._

 _Just you wait…_

And then Leo bursts through the doors to the gym.

"Leo!" Chase shouts as the squipped cast keeps singing. In the audience, Tasha and Mr. Davenport whip around to see Leo running toward the stage. They look mad, but Leo ignores them and hops up on stage to stand next to Chase.

"I could hear them in the hall!" Leo says, out of breath, gesturing to the students still singing. "They sound awesome! Which is terrible. They've all been squipped, right?"

"Yes!" Chase yells, not caring that the whole audience is watching their own drama unfold in addition to the first song of the musical still going on. "Leo, I need your help. Can you bring me one of Davenport's magnets?"

"No," Leo says, and for a second Chase's heart sinks. Did Leo somehow get a squip too? But then Leo grins and reveals the machine he's been hiding behind his back. "But will this work?"

"The LEMP!" Chase cheers. "A localized electromagnetic pulse. That should be able to shut down everyone's squip at the same time! Give it to me."

"Just one thing," Leo says, holding up the LEMP. "I think I deserve an apology." Chase was right- Leo never asks for what he wants, just accepts what happens and rolls with the punches. But he's asking for something now.

"Of course you do," Chase says. "Leo, I'm so-" But the words sticks in his throat. "Wha…?"

 _Vocal cords blocked_ , the squip says.

Chase shakes his head and tries to fight it. "Leo, I'm sah… I'm so srrr…"

"Is it really that hard to say it?" Leo says, looking hurt.

"Yes!" Chase yells, lunging for the LEMP before the squip can make him hurt Leo, or worse. "Please, turn that thing on!"

"This is important to me," Leo says. Standing up to bullies is easy but standing up to your best friend, your brother, is even harder. He needs to follow this through. "Just say you're sorry for treating me like crap."

"I _am_ ," Chase insists. "I'm really skkk… I'm skkk…" It's like he's glitching. "Leo, I…"

 _Molecular kinesis activated_.

Without wanting to, Chase throws Leo across the stage where he slams into the side of the stairs. A few audience members stand, looking concerned, but all the cast members keep going on with the play.

"What was that for?" Leo asks, still clutching the LEMP.

"I'm not doing this!" Chase says, sailing toward Leo and punching him in the chest. "Stop it! Stop it!" He hits Leo again. "It's not me, it's the squip!" Finally, he manages to pull his own body off of Leo, but he's struggling and squirming as he hangs onto the stairs, afraid to let go in case the squip sends him after Leo again. "It's like with the Triton App, it's taking over my body. Leo, please. I'm sorry!" He finally manages to get the words out.

Leo tries to hold him down, still clutching the LEMP in one hand. At that moment, Jake strides over to the two of them, completely ignoring Leo. " _Pardon me, are you Aaron Burr, sir_?"

"Not now," Leo says, trying to hold Chase down. But then Adam walks over, picks him up and throws him off the stage. He thumps against the wall and falls to the floor.

"Leo!" Chase yells.

 _You don't need to be concerned about him_ , the squip says. Chase pushes himself away from Jake and Adam, only to find himself face to face with two of the Schuyler sisters: Sabrina and Danielle.

"Hi, Chase," Sabrina says, sounding distant and not like herself. "I wanted you to know that I'm not mad that you made out with Danielle at the party."

"And I'm not mad you walked away from me at the party and didn't explain yourself," Danielle says. "You're sooo smart. And you know… _I'm looking for a mind at work."_

" _I'm looking for a mind at work_ ," Sabrina sings.

Chase shakes his head. "Leo! Plug in the LEMP!"

Leo stands up on shaky legs, clutching the LEMP and looking across the stage at the masses of squip zombies, all singing disconnected pieces of the _Hamilton_ soundtrack as the squips grow more and more chaotic. "But the outlet's all the way over there!" he says. "How am I supposed to get past everyone?"

Chase sidesteps Sabrina and Danielle. "Just think of it like a game of chess," he says. "Focus!"

Leo takes a moment, _focuses_ , and then he runs and dodges and evades, moving across the stage the way a knight might move across a chessboard. He almost gets all the way to the electrical outlet in the wall on the other side of the gym… when Janelle stops him.

"Hi, Leo," Janelle says, not sounding like herself at all. "What is that? Another one of your stepdad's inventions, here to ruin everything?"

The cast sings, " _Ooh, who are you, who are you, who are you? Ooh, who is this kid, what's he gonna do?_ "

Janelle laughs cruelly and shoves him backward, and for the second time Leo slams into the wall.

Chase jumps off the stages and slides across the floor to Leo and the LEMP. He grabs the plug and moves it toward the outlet.

 _You need to stop this, Chase_ , the squip says. _You need to stop this… or you'll never be with Christina._

"Christina?" Chase says, looking up. And there she is, stepping down from the stage to approach him. She looks radiant, practically glowing.

And she's singing her part from later in the musical.

" _Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now_." The way she smiles, Chase knows she's got a squip, and it's not really her talking. But still… to have Christina finally paying attention to him… The squip may have been a disaster, but it did what it promised, right? Got Christina interested in him. "Chase, I don't know why I couldn't tell you this before… but I love you. We should go out sometime."

Beside him, Leo whimpers in pain, hunched against the wall. The whole audience doesn't know what to think, but they know they're watching with bated breath. Adam and Jake, Sabrina, Danielle and Janelle… they all watch on, trapped in their own heads.

"That's not Christina," Chase says.

 _But it is_ , the squip says. _Just like you are yourself. You're just better. You could both be better together._

It would be so much easier this way. No more arguments, no more getting thrown around by Adam, no more difficult decisions… and Christina would be his girlfriend.

"So, what do you say?" Christina asks, extending a hand to help him up. "Chase?"

 _Chase_ , the squip says. _Do not throw away your shot_.

Chase tears his gaze away from Christina and moves the LEMP plug back toward the outlet.

 _Chase, think about what you're doing_ , the squip urges him. _You're nothing without me. And you'll be alone forever. Who knows the next time a pretty girl will even do so much as look at you?_

Chase smiles. "I'm willing to wait for it," he says.

And he plugs in the LEMP.

 _Chase!_ the squip yells as the pulse goes out. _Ch-Chase, you don't want to do this. Chaaaaassssseeeeeeee._

The voice in his head fizzles out, and a second later, Chase's world fades to black.


	11. The Loudest One Is Mine

Chase wakes up in his capsule to the sight of Mr. Davenport's face directly in front of him. He lets out a girly shriek before recovering from the surprise.

"Oh, good, you're awake," Davenport says, opening the capsule and stepping aside. Chase stretches his legs as he steps out, feeling strange and off-balance. "It's gonna be way more fun to punish you while you're conscious!"

Chase sighs, rubbing the back of his head. This must be what being hungover feels like. "Is everyone else…?"

"They all recovered a lot faster than you did," Donald explains, putting a hand on Chase's shoulder to lead him through the lab. "Since you were 'patient zero,' you needed an extra day to recuperate from the damage to your nervous system, and I needed time to check your bionics for issues and reinstall your Commando App. That thing really did a number on you. Speaking of which. Douglas!" He whirls on his brother. "What were you thinking? How many times have I told you not to mess with the kids' bionics?"

"Fourteen times," Chase responds automatically. "And don't be too hard on him, he only made the first squip."

"What are you calling it? A 'squip'?" Donald says, looking at Chase quizzically.

"Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor," Douglas supplies. Donald glares at him. "It's, uh, it's not important."

"Douglas only designed the prototype," Chase says. "It's… it's really my fault. After the squip integrated with my system, it adapted and evolved, got more complex… and then it used me to create more of its kind."

"Are you saying this thing was sentient?" Donald says. "It had a mind of its own?"

"Kind of," Chase says. "And it kind of… learned? I guess? But it definitely had control of me at parts. It didn't start out so bad, it was kind of like the little paper clip on Microsoft Word, but instead of teaching me how to write a resume, it taught me how to be cool. But… then it started getting stronger. And meaner. And kind of homophobic."

"Ohhh," Douglas says suddenly.

Donald glares at him again. "'Ohhh' what?"

"See, what had happened was, I designed the squip using Leo's diagnostic nanotech," Douglas explains. "And _he_ designed that using your programming for Eddy. So really this is all your fault, Donnie."

Donald rolls his eyes but then he nods. "Of course," he says. "Eddy's technology evolves. He started out nice and helpful, and now he's… you know."

"Ooh, my mic input is burning," Eddy sings, flaring to life in a panel on the wall. "Are you gossiping about me to make up for your boring lives?"

"And Eddy's technology is also self-replicating," Chase realizes. "That's why the squip tried to infect everyone else. Oh, my God."

"Hey, don't blame me for stuff I didn't do," Eddy says.

"He's right," Chase says. "It's not Eddy's fault. Infecting the cast of the play, giving a squip to Owen, having the party here… that was all the squip. And being a jerk to Leo… that wasn't Eddy's fault either."

"Wait, I don't mind taking credit for that part," Eddy says.

"No, and it wasn't the squip's fault," Chase says, looking from Donald to Douglas. "That was me. Where is he? I want to apologize to him, for real."

"Upstairs," Douglas says, pointing. Chase turns to go, but Douglas grabs his arm. "Wait, I gotta ask… before everything went wrong, before the squip took over completely… what was it like? Being the cool guy?"

Chase shrugs. "I should be asking you that, Uncle Dougie," he says. "You're the coolest guy I know." And then he turns and heads for the elevator, leaving his two dads alone in the lab.

After a moment, Douglas turns to his brother. "Chase thinks I'm cool," he brags.

"Chase thinks sugarless gum is cool," Donald reminds him with a smirk.

* * *

Upstairs, Chase finds Bree sitting on a brand-new couch with-

"Owen!" Chase does a double-take when he sees Bree's ex-boyfriend curled up next to her. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, now," Owen says, scratching the back of his neck. "Look, I want to say I'm sorry for setting fire to your couch."

"I'm sorry for giving you a squip," Chase says. "But, um… you're okay now, right? I mean, the magnet made it better?"

"I realized pretty soon that popularity is a fragile illusion built on a tower of lies," Owen says casually. "But then the squip took control of me. Even made me break up with your sister." He reaches over and squeezes Bree's hand. "It made me go to the party, and it made me act really weird. Doodling always calms me down, so I grabbed a pen from your junk drawer." He smiles a little. "Well, I _thought_ it was a pen. Turned out to be one of your dad's inventions. As soon as I clicked it, the sofa went up in flames. The next thing I knew, I was on the ceiling and the squip wasn't talking to me anymore."

"Jeez," Chase says. "I'm really sorry you had to go through that."

"Are you kidding?" Owen says, looking delighted. "It was awesome! All artists must suffer for inspiration, and I suffered so much that I was able to create a whole series of watercolors about the experience! That's why I've been skipping school ever since the party; I've been home painting. A gallery even bought my work; that's how I was able to buy you guys this couch."

"Oh," Chase says, watching Bree smile at Owen. "Well… I'm glad everything worked out okay."

"Well, you're not getting off the hook that easy," Bree says, turning her attention from Owen to Chase. "If you _ever_ make me take a weird robot pill again, I will shove it so far up your _exhaust port_ that you won't be able to walk. We good?"

Chase laughs a little, but Bree looks like she's serious. "Yeah," he says. "I understand. I'm really sorry."

"Hm," Bree says, turning back to Owen.

Then Adam bounds over from the window. "Chase, good to see you up and about, man," he says, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Hey," Chase says. "Adam, I'm really sorry the squip got to you. And I'm sorry about the play."

"Oh, the play's still a thing, don't worry," Adam says, grinning. "It's just that everyone else was so freaked out that only me and Janelle still want to do it. So I'm playing King George and she's playing, uh, all the other parts." He looks thrilled. "Check it out. _You'll be back, like before. I will fight the fight and win the war._ "

"That's great, Adam," Chase says, looking around the room until he finally finds… "Leo." Chase approaches him cautiously like a wild animal. "Hey. How are you?"

Leo glances up from his sandwich on the table. "I'm fine," he says. "You?"

"Good."

"Alright."

It's stilted and awkward and they stand there in horrible silence for another two seconds before Leo jumps out of his seat and Chase rushes him and they hug each other as tightly as they can. "I'm so sorry, Leo," Chase says. "I was such a jerk."

"Yeah, you were," Leo agrees. "But you're back now. I'm so glad you didn't turn into a squip zombie."

"Me too," Chase says. "And the squip- I- was wrong. You're not a loser or a freak. You're awesome, Leo. You know so much more than me when it comes to the real world, and social stuff… I never needed a squip. I had you the whole time."

"Aw, that's so sweet," Leo says. "Do my laundry for a month and I'll forgive you."

"Done," Chase laughs.

Just then, the doorbell rings. Adam looks at Bree, Chase, and Leo as if to say, 'Who else do we know?' Chase goes to open the door and comes face to face with Christina.

"Oh," he says, just as awkward as he always was. "Hi. What are you doing here?"

She offers a shaky smile. "Came to say goodbye," she says. "After that whole thing with the play, my parents kind of freaked out. We're moving to Philadelphia."

"Oh," Chase says again, and maybe he should feel heartbroken, but he just kind of feels relieved. Looking at this girl just reminds him of everything he almost lost, just so he could get a date with her. "Well, uh… I'm sorry for everything. And… good luck in Philly. You're going to make friends in no time."

"I already have," she laughs. "There's this guy I've been online chatting with, Kaz? And he's gonna show me around my new school."

"Wow," Chase comments. "Well, that's… that's great, Christina."

"I'm excited," she says. "But I'm gonna miss you, Chase. You really are a cool guy."

Chase shakes his head. "No, I'm not," he tells her honestly. "But I'm cool with it."

Christina hugs him and says goodbye, and then she's gone, out of his house and out of his life.

Chase turns around to find Leo looking at him. "Hey," Leo says. "You wanna play chess?"

The squip was powerful, the squip was enticing, the squip was cool, the squip was cruel, the squip was addictive, the squip was intriguing, the squip was smart, the squip was calculating, the squip was relentless…

And the squip was wrong.

Maybe Chase can't be cool, but he's always been cared for. The squip tried to convince him that being popular was the only way to be loved, but that's not true.

The way to be loved was by being himself.

"You alright, Chase?" Leo asks. "You've been quiet for like a minute and you look like you're experiencing some kind of deep, afterschool-special morality lesson."

"I'm great," Chase says. "Let's go play chess."

* * *

A/N: Sorry this epilogue arrived so late. Thank you everyone for reading. This was a blast to write.


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